Unclejeff,
I've been surprised that the more I upgrade my system, the more audible becomes even very small changes. Small incremental changes can make large perceived differences in a high calibre system. Perhaps the Law of Diminishing Returns needs adjustment.
Another approach is to ask the hard question, does an audio system make the music sound real? However good a system, the answer will always be no. When making an upgrade the question becomes, how much closer does this upgrade take the system toward realism? If the system is already at 9/10s, a movement of .5 (or 50% of the remaining gap) is significant. I see the problem more in terms of Zeno's Paradox than the Law of Diminishing returns. And I bet this psychological need for unobtainium is at the root of most high-end buying. The psyche registers percentage improvement as percentage of remaining gap to be closed.
I've been surprised that the more I upgrade my system, the more audible becomes even very small changes. Small incremental changes can make large perceived differences in a high calibre system. Perhaps the Law of Diminishing Returns needs adjustment.
Another approach is to ask the hard question, does an audio system make the music sound real? However good a system, the answer will always be no. When making an upgrade the question becomes, how much closer does this upgrade take the system toward realism? If the system is already at 9/10s, a movement of .5 (or 50% of the remaining gap) is significant. I see the problem more in terms of Zeno's Paradox than the Law of Diminishing returns. And I bet this psychological need for unobtainium is at the root of most high-end buying. The psyche registers percentage improvement as percentage of remaining gap to be closed.